Grace for Española
 
We continue our look at 2 Chronicles 20 for principles of prayer. With the busy-ness of the summertime activities, let’s continue to carve out time to be alone with God in prayer by adding the following principles to the one we learned in the previous blog post.

B. God delights to do what He promised to do (vv. 7-11).

Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8　And they have lived in it and have built for you in it a sanctuary for your name, saying, ‘If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgment,　or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before you—for your name is in this house—and cry out to you in our affliction, and you will hear and save.’ And now behold, the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt,and whom they avoided and did not destroy—behold, they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession, which you have given us to inherit (ESV).

One way to show submissiveness to the will of God is by praying according to His will and one way to do that is by praying according to the promises God has given in Scripture. Jehoshaphat modeled this in verse 7 by praying in accordance with God's promise to give the land to Israel forever (Gen.13:15; 15:18). Also, at the dedication of the Temple, the Lord had promised Solomon that He would hear the prayers of the people (2 Chron. 6:14-42; 7:15). God said, "Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place" (2 Chron. 7:15 NAS). The believer in prayer can rehearse the promises of God and be confident that the Lord hears and will act to fulfill His promises on behalf of His children.

Now take some time to think through or write down your interaction with this second principle:

* Recognize the truth of the principle.
* Reflect on or meditate on the truth of the principle.
* Relate the truth to real concerns.
* Rehearse the principle in prayer or pray according to the truth.
* Respond to or take action on the truth of the principle.

C. God's people are helpless without Him (v. 12).

O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you (ESV).

Commentators disagree as to whether Jehoshaphat went out to meet his attackers with an army or not. It is clear that Jehoshaphat had a large and capable army (2 Chron. 17:12-19). However, he apparently did not trust in his army to deliver him from the combined Transjordanian forces. Rather, Jehoshaphat, without any deliberation, turned to the Lord and asked for His deliverance on their behalf saying, "For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You" (2 Chron. 20:12b).

Likewise, Christians today must choose to rely on either human or divine resources. Lehman Strauss wrote, "Human wisdom and human desire can achieve human results. But praying in the Spirit produces divine results." When believers rely on their human resources, they selfishly seek their own glory and foolishly deprive themselves of God's power. However, Christians can turn to God in prayer, as Jehoshaphat did, even though they may have some means, and allow God to show Himself strong on their behalf and receive all the glory as a result. Whenever God's people face an impossible situation, it is actually a wonderful opportunity for God to test their faith and bring glory to himself.

Now take some time to think through or write down your interaction with this third principle:

* Recognize the truth of the principle.
* Reflect on or meditate on the truth of the principle.
* Relate the truth to real concerns.
* Rehearse the principle in prayer or pray according to the truth.
* Respond to or take action on the truth of the principle.

There is nothing we need more than God’s power in our lives. Let’s continue to seek Him together in private that we might see His power evident when we join together for public worship each Lord’s Day.
 


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